


Star Forlorneus

by PixieRed



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Makoto is too pure to realize she does impure things, Pining, Ren POV, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26234806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieRed/pseuds/PixieRed
Summary: Ren and Makoto search Tokyo following reports of a distraught Shujin student.Ryuji just wants Ren to confess to her.A shumako shipfic filling in some of the missing Makoto hangouts in the game.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist, shumako - Relationship
Comments: 82
Kudos: 166





	1. Inokashira

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by the revised planetarium event in P5R. Reference to that event, a one line reference to a game feature (in chapter 2), and a passing mention of one of the new characters are the only P5R mentions.

"So I heard you an' Makoto went on a date."

The controller nearly fell out of Ren's hands. He shot straight up in his chair, turning his head to Ryuji and then snapping back to the TV just as quickly.

"Wuh... What?" The 't' at the end of his question struck hard and hissed as he fought to regain control of his starfighter before it crashed into enemy fire. Retro games were really unforgiving.

"Good for you man." Ryuji continued playing, eyes glued to the old CRT. "You finally confessed."

"What are you talking about?" Ren jammed the buttons. Old consoles didn't have analogue support, but he had to vent his frustrations somewhere. He rather not be reminded of his lack of progress in his relationship with Makoto.

"Mishima said he ran into you guys at a planetarium." Ryuji explained as he tapped away, annihilating enemies in their path.

"That wasn't a date," Ren sighed, hunching back over, closer to the game. "That was student council business she wanted help with."

"Student council business?" Ryuji tilted his head. "At a planetarium?"

"Apparently they'd gotten reports of a strange man appearing there," Ren maneuvered his ship underneath Ryuji's, forming an offensive wall against the stage's mid-point boss. "Makoto was investigating."

"Didya find 'im?" The two began tapping their controllers vigorously.

"It was Yusuke." Ren rolled his eyes.

"For real?" Ryuji punctuated his question with short chuckle.

"For real." Ren sighed again.

"So you haven't confessed?" Ryuji finished his frenetic tapping when the mini-boss disappeared behind pixelated explosions. He let the controller rest on his thigh and looked over at his friend.

"No." Ren let the pout in his heart out in his voice.

_Did_ Phantom Thieves confess?

He'd have to ask Morgana.

"So it wasn't a date?" Ryuji asked again.

"No." Ren said with extra emphasis.

"But was it fun?" Ryuji grinned.

As annoyed as he was with the line of questioning, thinking about sitting next to Makoto in the darkened theater, having some time with just the two of them surrounded by stars... The corners of Ren's lips couldn't help but rise. "Yes."

"Did _she_ seem like she was having fun?"

Ren thought about how her face looked in the blue and violet lights cast by the projector. Her smile _had_ looked genuine. "I think."

"Then tell her how you feel already." Ryuji picked up the controller and started maneuvering his ship as the level continued.

"We've been over this." Ren grit his teeth. "It'd be really awkward for all of us, the whole team, if she doesn't like me that way."

"So figure out if she likes you that way," Ryuji's elbows swung wildly as he dodged a wave of enemies, moving the controller as if it was the ship.

"I've been trying." Ren exhaled slowly, recalling his various attempts. "A hint here. A remark there. Little things to feel her out. She just laughs them off as a joke or thinks it's part of our fake dating ruse."

Was she laughing it off to let him down easy? Girls did that, righ-

"Fake dating? What?" Ryuji stared at Ren amidst the MIDI sounds of his spaceship exploding. He turned back to the screen. "Argh! Dammit!"

Ren's ship crashed shortly thereafter. A shiny _Game Over_ sparkled at the center of a black screen.

Ryuji placed his controller back on the table next to the console and slouched deeper in his chair. "So what's this about fake dating?"

Might as well start at the beginning.

"So there were reports of Shujin students picking up sketchy jobs in Shinjuku and Makoto asked-"

" _Another_ student council thing?" One of Ryuji's brows was raised. He forearms were resting on his thigh, palms facing up. "Dude, why's she askin' you to go instead of one of those other uptight student council people?"

"I don't know," Ren ran his hand through his hair. "I think she doesn't want to burden them or something."

"An' it's okay to burden _you_?" Ryuji dipped his head, his right cheek pulling upward.

"Maybe she's just more comfortable with me," Ren shrugged.

"That's a sign!" Ryuji's teeth seemed to gleam. He brought one of his hands up, resting it palm-down on this thigh while his elbow jutted out. "I'm tellin' you, you should go for it."

"We're teammates." Ren pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose, momentarily hiding his eyes. Ryuji had a tendency to overestimate things when it came to girls. "Of course she'd be more comfortable."

"Aw c'mon. Don't be like that." Now it was Ryuji's turn to sigh. His neck slumped. He let it hang for a few moments before looking up again. "Okay look, next time she asks you on one of these student council adventures, be more direct. As her what she thinks of dating or what she likes in a guy. No more of this hintin' stuff."

Ren stared back at Ryuji for several seconds. Finally he exhaled and leaned back in his chair. "Alright."

"Good." Ryuji leaned forward and pressed the reset button on the console. He grabbed the controller. "Now tell me more about this fake dating."

* * *

"Thanks for coming," Makoto was waiting by the pond when Ren arrived. She smiled, closing her eyes in the process, something he noticed she did often.

"My pleasure," Ren smiled in return.

"The notes we received said the student was alone on a rowboat," Makoto explained. She had texted him the night before about reports of a distraught student. Apparently the student council (and by that, he meant Makoto) responded even in the summer. "I've been looking, but I haven't recognized anyone."

"You can recognize people at this distance?" Ren asked, his head turning to the pond and his eyes trying to focus on the nearest boat.

"Well... no," Makoto dipped her head and brought her shoulders in. She was so easily embarrassed. It was hard not to tease her, but Ryuji had told him to be more direct. "But I thought I would try... while I waited... uh, not that I was waiting long."

"Maybe we need to get out on the water too then," Ren said. He raised his right hand, motioning in the direction of the boat rentals.

Makoto nodded. "Yes, I think we'll have to."

She walked with him towards the dock. He kept his hands in his pockets, but he was very aware of just how close her inner hand swung during her gait.

Though it was August, luck had blessed him with a more mild day. It was pleasant under the cover of trees.

He hadn't seen her in this kind of setting before.

Had they just picked a particularly beautiful day—where the light that came through the leaves reflected off the rich color of her hair and her fair skin seemed to glow?

Or was she doing it?

He wondered if his glasses hid his far too frequent glances.

When they found the ticket booth for the boat rentals, Makoto approached the counter, reaching into her bag and pulling out a slim wallet.

Ren placed his hand over hers. "Let me get that."

"What?" Makoto turned to face him. She didn't remove her hand. "But this is student council business."

"Is that student council money?" he pointed his chin at her wallet.

"No," the word came out slowly. "But I'm the one who invited you. You're here helping me."

"This could turn into _team_ business," he was careful with how much he said. She would know what he meant. A possible Mementos target. "So it's okay to spend team money on it."

"But..." her eyes seemed to search.

"It's not that much," Ren pressed on. "Please, let me take care of it."

It didn't hurt that it felt a little more like a date this way...

Just like the planetarium...

Though they had each paid their own way there.

"O-okay," Makoto withdrew her wallet and took a step back.

After finishing up at the counter, they stepped out on the dock. An attendant helped them onto a rowboat. Ren let Makoto go first, so he could take the seat closer to the bow. With the attendant's help, he locked the oars in place and pushed off.

"Oh, I didn't mean to make you do all the work," Makoto had her hand up by her lips. She reached out for the oar handles. "I can take them."

As he had begun to suspect... this big city girl had no practical experience rowing a boat.

"It has to be me," he smiled, raising his arm so his thumb was pointing back at the bow. "That's the front of the ship."

Makoto looked over his shoulder to where the sides of the boat came together. Her lower lip dropped as it dawned on her. She then looked behind her. It was hard to tell under the bright sun, but when she turned back, her face seemed a little flush.

He didn't mean to embarrass her...

Was it wrong to enjoy her reaction?

Her eyes darted to the oars. He could almost see the different configurations she was envisioning, trying to make it work. Her shoulders rotated, as if she was thinking through the motions. Her gaze moved from the water to his chest. She must have realized the problems with splashing too.

"I see..." she drew out the words. Finally looking up at him again, she bounced her right fist in the palm of her left hand and stated, "We should switch seats then."

"It's not a problem," he said as he began moving the oars through the water in smooth strokes.

"But..."

"You need to keep an eye out," he continued as their boat glided across the water. "You know more of the student body than I do."

"That's true," she dipped her chin into her hand further. "Maybe I can help on the way back?"

"Sure," he smiled before looking over his shoulder for other boats. It would be best for them to do a full circuit of the pond. While some boats were in motion, others seemed to be resting. They should be able to check most of them.

He turned back to Makoto. She was sitting up straight, also looking out over the water. With her slender frame and flowing white shirt she radiated elegance. Every now and then the breeze caught a few strands of her hair.

Gods she was pretty.

It was hard to believe they were out on the water alone together. Would a real date work out so well? His own cheeks started to feel hot.

He needed to distract himself.

"So what else do we know about this student?" Ren asked as he pulled the oar handles back.

"Only that he was spotted here alone in a boat and that he seemed depressed," said Makoto. She crossed her arms. "I know it doesn't sound that bad, but the fact that we got multiple reports worries me."

"That's not much to go on." He glanced behind him, making sure they were still on course.

"It's not," Makoto brought a loose fist to her lips, supporting her elbow with her other hand. "The fact that they didn't know his name might mean he's fairly isolated. It's not unreasonable someone like that might be struggling. If we can find him, maybe we can direct him to Dr. Maruki."

"Mm," Ren agreed. He tilted his head to the right. "We're coming up on another cluster of boats."

Makoto followed his gesture, placing her hands on the edge of the boat and looking over. They were still a polite distance away. "I don't see any singletons. It's all couples."

She lifted herself up, returning to the middle of her seat. "Hmm... maybe our mystery student was stood up?"

"If that happened to me, I wouldn't still rent a boat," Ren started another stroke.

"Maybe he had already paid for the rental." She was once again playing with her lip. "Though... the setup here really isn't conducive to that..."

As Makoto continued to work through the possibilities, her words became softer, like she was mumbling to herself. "Maybe he was being sentimental, because it meant something to them...

A chance.

As much as following Ryuji's advice about women seemed risky, it wasn't like his own plans had been working.

But how to steer the conversation?

"So Miss President is a bit of a romantic," he stared directly at her with a wry grin. Her eyes opened wide for a moment, but before she could accuse him of teasing her, he continued. "Do you like that sort of thing in a relationship?"

"Um well, I haven't really dated before..." Makoto looked to the side and rubbed her cheek with a single finger. "But I think it would be nice, having some special memories that is."

So far so good...

"What else would you like?" Ren tried to bury any waver in his voice beneath his exertion rowing. "In a real boyfriend?"

"Hmmm," Makoto let her hand fall to her lap as she faced him. "I'd want someone kind and just... studious, athletic..."

She turned away in a rush of hair, her attention fixing on the water next to their boat. He thought he saw eyes widen and her shoulders hop right as she did, but it happened so fast he wasn't sure.

"Uh..." Makoto's hands were balled on her thighs. "I-it's just it would be nice if we had s-similar interests..."

_Would I fit the bill?_

No, she'd just think he was only teasing her.

"That isn't too much, is it?" Makoto tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her blush obvious this time.

"I don't think so," Ren continued to row, keeping his eyes on her. "I feel the same."

"Oh." She tilted her head and smiled. "Thanks. That makes me feel better."

Looking across the boat at her, a near ethereal presence amidst the canopy of trees and the reflections of the deep green water... it really was a near perfect day. Perhaps he should-

"Should we switch now?" Makoto's eyes shifted between one of the oar handles and Ren.

"I'm not tired." He had punted on the question earlier. Ren couldn't put to words why he preferred it this way. Perhaps it was the self-satisfaction of taking her somewhere.

"We're well-past halfway though," Makoto crossed her arms as she argued.

She had a point. As they finished their circuit, the only boats they hadn't seen would be those that were rented recently. It was a good time, but...

"It's really not a bother," Ren reiterated his position. "I'm enjoying this."

"Ah." Makoto paused. She glanced down, like she was considering what to do next. When she raised her eyes, she spoke. "I've never done it before, so I wanted to give it a try, especially when there's someone around to give me pointers."

Oh.

Of course she'd be curious.

Wait. Pointers?

Maybe...

"In that case, why don't we try it together?" There was plenty of room to sit side by side. It might be hard to synchronize their strokes at first, but Makoto was strong, fit, and a quick learner.

"Oh," she stared at him for a few seconds. Her face, her neck, became even more red. "I-if th-that's okay... I'd like that."

He nodded. "Be careful as you stand up."

Makoto pressed off from her seat, keeping her knees bent and arms out, cautious of the balance. As she took the few small steps over, Ren started shifting to the left. It was better to let her use her dominant hand. However, she shifted as well, keeping her gaze and direction fixed on him.

"Aren't you going to scoot back?" she asked when she was right in front of him.

_OH._

She thinks...

_THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE._

"R-right." Ren re-centered himself, but sat back further, as far as he could without feeling like he would fall off. He spread his legs.

There wasn't a whole lot of room in front of him. He wondered if this would really work.

"Pardon me," Makoto murmured as she turned away and sat down in front of him. "I-is this okay?"

She was sitting on the edge, leaving less than a centimeter of space between them on the bench, more between their torsos. He wondered how she managed to stay on.

Still, it was _very_ close.

Ren wanted to take a deep breath, to expel whatever tension had built up around his vocal chords before he made a fool of himself, but that would also raise questions.

The best he could do was keep to a low whisper. "I'm fine. Are you comfortable? Do you have enough space? You can scoot back. I don't mind."

"Um, okay." Makoto moved back, closing the gap between them.

Ren wondered if she could feel the pounding of his chest through her back.

She reached out to the oar handles. He moved his hands to give hers more space.

"Is this-" she started again.

"You're fine." He willed himself to breathe. The faint smell of her shampoo wafted into his nostrils.

Maybe this was too much. Everything that could was pressed against him, her arms, her back, her-

The one silver lining to how nervous he felt was that it prevented _things_ from getting _much more_ awkward.

"Just t-tell me if this becomes uncomfortable, okay?" Makoto turned her head towards him just a little, not enough to see her eyes.

"I will," he said, forcing down a silent swallow. "You do the same."

"Mm," she nodded.

"Okay, why don't you try a few strokes? I'll move with you so don't worry about me."

Now that he was thinking about the mechanics of the situation, this probably wasn't going to work. At least with his hands on the oars, he should mimic her motion. They had good coordination in Palaces, but still...

Makoto pulled back on the oars. Ren leaned back with her. He had to remind himself to keep his hands resting lightly, lest he start to pull himself. He considered letting go, but wasn't sure where he'd put his hands.

_Around her waist._

...That wouldn't be appropriate.

Yeah, keeping his hands on the oars was best.

Of course, she didn't _really_ need his help. This was an activity they let anyone do after all. She could figure it out on her own. Sure, she wasn't the most efficient, but that wasn't necessary for a simple trip out on a pond.

With each stroke, she pressed herself into him. It was warm and pleasant, even though it was so hot out, even when she pulled back a little hard.

But, was it really okay to enjoy it? Perhaps they needed to-

"It's heavier than I thought," said Makoto. "But not bad. It seemed smoother when you did it though."

That's right. Focus Amamiya. She's asking for your help.

"Hmmm..." Ren wondered how much advice was too much advice. "I noticed you tend to raise your shoulders more than you need to mid-stroke. Think about it as horizontal motion."

"I'll try."

Her shoulders wiggled on the next few strokes, like she was over-correcting. Her overall motion was getting there though.

"I don't think I quite have it," she said after several more tries.

"You're getting better," he leaned in to make up for his low voice. He could feel her tense her shoulders. Perhaps that had been too close. He moved back. "Uh, why don't you try loosening your grip? There should be space under your palms."

He felt her whole body relax, like she had to loosen it all at the same time. He smiled. It was kinda cute... and probably for the best, from a technical standpoint.

She took a deep breath and started rowing again. It was a little shaky, but still much more fluid than before.

Ren looked back, noticing they were approaching one end of the pond. "Okay, we should start turning. It's pretty shallow, you can get by with focusing on the outer oar. It may take some experimentation."

"Got it," she nodded.

He let her experiment, knowing she was too conscientious to run into any real problems. They were going slowly enough and he had gotten enough sense of her rhythm that dropping his hands seemed all the more enticing.

How nice it would be to wrap his arms around her as they lazily made their way back to the pier?

These were the kind of actions that would likely get him rightfully slapped unless they were really dating.

Maybe it was time... she hadn't objected to any of this, surely that meant something.

He gathered his courage. "Hey Ma-"

"A singleton boat!" Makoto let go of one of the oars and pointed at a rowboat they had recently passed. It was about 30 meters away. He supposed neither of them had been paying enough attention.

The other boat appeared to be adrift. It looked like the rider wasn't even sitting in the correct seat to row.

Despite the stillness of the other boat, Makoto and Ren worked together to turn quickly, pushing the oars in opposite directions. They rowed over to the other boat, stopping alongside of it.

"Yusuke?" Makoto's eyes traced a path from their tall friend down to the bottom of their boat. There Ryuji was bent over, searching for something in a bag. "And Ryuji? So there were two after all..."

"Oh hey, fancy meetin' you two here," Ryuji said as he shot up, scratching the back of his neck. Once upright, he looked them up and down. Making eye contact with Ren, he mouthed a 'Whoa' before hurriedly continuing the conversation. "We're here 'cuz Yusuke wanted to draw some stuff."

"Yes," Yusuke only looked up from his sketchpad in brief glances. "When Ryuji told me he was on his way here, I had take advantage of-"

"I meant to go for a run," Ryuji interrupted. "But rowin' ain't a bad workout."

"Yes, I'm discovering that myself," Makoto turned her head, catching Ren with the corner of her eye, the edge of a small smile visible. Then her eyebrows raised and her bottom lip dropped. She let go off both oars and stretched her fingers wide, palms towards their teammates. "Oh um, Ren is teaching me how to paddle more efficiently. It's uh, really nice of him..."

The tips of her fingers curled down and her shoulders squeezed in.

Ryuji's eyes found Ren once more.

Ren frowned and gave a shallow nod.

Yusuke looked up and scribbled furiously.

"Uh, so anyway," Makoto coughed into a balled hand. "Have you seen any Shujin students out here alone? Perhaps looking dejected?"

"I haven't," said Yusuke, still not looking up from his drawings. "Not one person was wearing plaid."

"Dude, it's summer break," said Ryuji. He brought his hand to the back of his neck again. "I mighta seen one leaving, no one I really know, but it coulda just been someone who looked similar."

"So you don't have a name?" Makoto rested her hands back on the oar handles.

"Naw," Ryuji shook his head. "Sorry."

"Hmm, I guess he's not here then," Makoto's head hung. She lifted it to look back at Ren. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"It's okay, we have to be diligent right?" Ren repeated her logic from the planetarium. "And I'm having fun, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Makoto looked down again, locks of hair falling along side her cheeks. "I am."

"Well, we'll let you two on your way," Ryuji's naturally loud volume cut through whatever moment they were having. "Sorry we couldn't be more help."

Yusuke looked up. "Wait I'm still-"

"Seeya!" Ryuji waved as he pushed hard on one of his oars, spinning their boat away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was disappointed we didn't get more Makoto hangouts and had this idea following the planetarium event. I figured it would be a sweet and fun one-shot story, something that wouldn't take too much time from writing my ongoing fics. Next thing I knew, I was looking at multiple chapters of text.
> 
> \- Pix ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/ShyPixieRed) | [Fics on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieRed/works))
> 
> 2021/01/16 - Fixed some typos pointed out by [Demolosse001](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demolosse001/pseuds/Demolosse001%22)! Many thanks!


	2. Asakusa

"How can you not be dating? She was practic'lly sittin' in your lap!" Ryuji tapped his controller with gusto as they faced off against another wave of enemy aliens.

"She was sitting in front of me," Ren let Ryuji's ship take the lead and any dropped power ups with it. His friend seemed to really enjoy this old game.

"Quit splittin' hairs." Ryuji's elbows were flapping around as if he were an agitated chicken, moving his controller to mimic the desired location of his starfighter on screen. "You've all the signs you need. Ask her out already!"

There _were_ signs... maybe not the awkward rowing lesson, but her blushes, her stutters, what she was looking for in a boyfriend...

However, he didn't want Ryuji pushing him into anything prematurely.

Though, he _had_ almost started to kind of ask her...

"I'm trying," Ren remained hunched over, focusing on the screen. "It's just hard to find the right moment."

"The right moment? You need the right moment?" Ryuji's hard consonants seemed to echo in the attic. "I saw you charm the shirt off a snake lady the other day, you don't need-"

"She wasn't wearing a shirt to begin with," Ren rolled his eyes. "Look I-"

"And why don't you summon her more often?" Ryuji hunched towards the screen, matching Ren. "She seems... you know... uh... strong. Yeah, that's it, strong."

"I have stronger-"

"Wait that's not the point!" It really was a wonder Boss still let Ryuji hang out. Surely the patrons, if there were any, could hear that. "The point is, you got this. Just do what you do with the shadows. No one can resist Joker."

Ryuji was conveniently forgetting all those times his negotiations with shadows. had failed ...and he was quite certain _they_ didn't hit as hard as Makoto.

"I told you before," Ren let out an exaggerated sigh. "She always thinks I'm just teasing."

"Huh." Ryuji used the respite afforded by the title card of the next level to look at Ren. "Yeah, I can see that."

"What?" Ren looked over as well. He wasn't expecting Ryuji to back off.

"Maybe she's seen Joker charm _too_ many shadows," Ryuji returned his gaze to the CRT. "Maybe that's why she can't take 'im seriously."

Ren grimaced as something ill coiled in his stomach. Had he already screwed things up with her?

"So maybe it's gotta be Ren," Ryuji continued. Ren could almost hear the grin in his voice. "Maybe that's who she likes better anyway."

* * *

Ren found Makoto at the first shop selling phone charms past the Kaminarimon on Nakamise Street, just where she said she'd be. She was pushing aside the trinkets hanging from the front of the display hooks, checking what was behind them.

He bent over so his head was right beside hers. "Find anything?"

"Oh!" Makoto jerked back. After making eye contact, her whole body seemed to relax. "Sorry about that. You startled me."

Ren looked from her to the carousel of phone straps.

"I hear sometimes they have older goods buried-" she paused. Her expression softened into a smile. "Well no matter. I hope I wasn't too hard to find. Thank you for coming."

"I'm happy to help," he said as they stepped away from the stall into the center of the pedestrian street. "Is it the same guy?"

"It sounds like it," said Makoto. "Similar descriptions—distressed, downtrodden, lonely... only this time the reports are conflicting on location. One said they had seen him several times hanging around here, the other said Skytree."

"So we'll search both," Ren confirmed.

"Right," Makoto made a pert nod. "Hopefully we'll find him here first. It must be pretty serious for the student council to get multiple reports while school is on break."

They started walking down the shopping arcade, keeping to the center. Ren kept watch for their target on the left while Makoto scanned the right. The crowds made things difficult, but it was easy to skip over people in groups, those too old or too young, and the foreign tourists. There weren't many people remaining.

"I wonder why he would come here," Ren mused. "It doesn't seem like a place to be alone."

"Maybe he feels less lonely when it's crowded," Makoto's voice was even, analytical.

"I'd feel more lonely." He remembered stepping off the train at Shibuya Station that first day in April. Shibuya Square had seemed overwhelming, like he would lose himself in it—and that was before his other self decided to make an appearance. Maybe it was different for Tokyo natives.

"Oh... I think I'd feel lonely too." Her voice seemed to fade. She held a balled hand over her chest. "I think sometimes, when people feel bad, they seek to make it worse. I don't know why. It worries me though. I really hope we find him."

"Me too," Ren nodded. He raised his head to the sky. "I think I get it though. I've had days like that, where I want to just dive into what I'm feeling... and hope that maybe someone will take note."

"You too?" Makoto was looking up at him.

He lowered his head and turned to meet her stare. With a shallow smile, he spoke. "Yeah, me too."

Makoto blinked a couple times and then her eyes opened large. She stepped back from him. Her next words tumbled out. "O-of course! You've been through so much of course it must be really hard I'm sorry-"

"It's alright," he smiled a little wider, beckoning her back to the middle of the street with a tilt of his head. He brought a hand up, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm kind of glad to hear it doesn't show."

"Well," Makoto ran her fingers through the strands of hair by her braid, tucking them behind her ear, as she recomposed herself. She took back the position by his side. "If you ever need someone to listen, I will..."

She was looking down and away from him, still fussing with her hair.

He decided not to press.

"Thanks."

They continued their walk toward down the arcade, towards the temple at the end of it. When he could see only groups ahead of him, he let his eyes wander to Makoto. She seemed to also be having difficulty finding anyone who fit the description of the distressed student.

Every so often, they would pass a shop with more phone charms. Her gaze would linger on the displays.

"We can do some shopping while we're here," he offered when she remained locked on one particular shop to the point of looking back over her shoulder.

She snapped her face forward. "No, it's okay, I don't want to take up more of your time."

"I'm enjoying myself," he smiled at her. "This is my first time here."

"Oh," Makoto was looking up at him wide-eyed again. "Then do you want to try some street food? Maybe some senbei or ningyo-yaki?"

"Sure." He wasn't really hungry, but he suspected it would make Makoto feel better.

Plus... eating together... it was kind of like a date...

"I'll point out the more famous places as we pass them," she said.

Makoto did just that. It was like she was playing tour guide. He wondered if he should get her a little flag.

"This place sells monaka filled with ice cream," she raised her hand, palm up, so her fingertips were pointed at the stall. "It might be nice, since it's so hot out."

The problem was, it didn't seem like she was hungry either.

So much for eating together...

"Oh and a little ways up ahead is a really popular place for fried manju," she looked at him expectantly. "They have a lot of different fillings."

As she waited for his response, her eyes drifted towards the other kinds of stalls.

Something was up.

Ren activated his third eye. While it hadn't been helpful in finding people at school, at least those he didn't already have a bond with, it did on occasion reveal things he didn't know he was searching for.

He shifted his head from side to side, even looking over his back.

There.

A stall they had just passed.

A faint blue glow came from a wall of hanging baubles.

He couldn't see exactly what it was, but in his imagination he had already bought it and was basking in the brightness of Makoto's smile as he gifted it to her.

"Hey," he slowed. She did the same. "Can we check out that store back there?"

"O-of course!" Makoto cheeks reddened. "Sorry, I didn't realize how fast we were going."

She _had_ walked a little faster once she had things to show him.

Her enthusiasm was rather cute.

"Not at all," he said as they turned around. "I just remembered something... a souvenir for a friend back home."

"Oh." Makoto seemed to calm.

As they approached the shop, Ren kept the glowing blue light in his field of view. Whatever was causing it was behind several other items. He still couldn't make it out. He was about to approach the wall of trinkets when he stopped.

He looked down at Makoto. She was also focused on that display.

Her hands were balled into fists at her sides.

She had been searching this entire time.

She should be the one to find it.

Ren turned to the bins of stationary and began to idly flip through them. His attention however remained on his companion.

Makoto was systematically going through each hook, shoving the items in front to the side and then letting them fall off her finger tips so she could examine each one as it fell. She didn't have the benefit of knowing exactly which hook to investigate.

Ren looked around, making sure no one else was waiting on him. He didn't want to prevent real customers from shopping. He shuffled through a few more stationary sets to give the illusion of browsing.

Makoto wouldn't be long now.

She finished the hook right next to the glowing one.

He closed his third eye. The true colors of the world returned.

She lifted the next set of charms.

Makoto inhaled, her shoulders rising. The corners of her lips raised in a big, open-mouth smile.

She must have found what she was looking for.

Ren watched as she carefully removed the other charms, took the one in back, and then re-hung the rest of them. She turned briskly and headed straight for the register.

He caught up to her. The shopkeeper rung up her purchase: a simple Buchimaru phone charm. The white parts of the mascot's coloring had gone dull with age, or maybe it just looked that way in comparison to how Makoto's eyes seemed to sparkle.

Upon completing her purchase, Makoto affixed the charm to her phone case. She gave it a few firm tugs, nodding to herself with a self-satisfied smile as it remained attached.

"Cute..." Ren murmured.

"Isn't it?" Makoto's eyebrows rose, eager to share her new find.

"Yeah," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh," she looked down at his other hand. "Did you not find what you were looking for?"

"I did," he smiled.

"But where-" Makoto stopped herself. A couple breaths laters, she began again. "Ren, did you-"

She turned her head suddenly, like she had seen something from the corner of her eye. "Is that Ryuji? And Yusuke?"

Ren followed her line of sight, finding some familiar tufts of bleached hair. His eyes wandered further to the left, where a tall slim figure came into view.

_Why now?_

So much for their not-date...

Traversing the crowd between them, they found Yusuke holding a paper bag to his chest with his forearms. In his right hand was an oversized melonpan. Dango skewers were planted between the fingers of his left. He took a bite out of the large bread.

Ryuji appeared to be pouting up until the point he noticed them. With a broad smile, he spoke over the din of the shoppers. "Hey guys! Didn't know you'd be here."

"We're looking for a student," explained Makoto. "The same one we were looking for at Inokashira Park."

"Yikes," said Ryuji. "Hard to find anyone in this crowd."

"Indeed," stated Yusuke. "We were supposed to meet up with Ann. I will just have to eat all of these without her."

Makoto's face seemed to turn green as she glanced down at Yusuke's haul. Ren briefly wondered if he was still using his third eye.

"Um, well," Makoto swallowed. "We could help look, since we're already looking for someone."

"No no no," Ryuji waved his hands before him. "We don't wanna interrupt your da-duties."

"But we're-"

"You guys are going to the temple, right?" Ryuji let his hands fall by his sides. "We're gonna hang back for Ann. We'll message you if we see any lonely Shujin students."

"Are you sure?" she tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Yeah don't worry about it."

"Okay," Makoto nodded. As she began walking again, she waved at them. "Have a nice day. Hope you find Ann."

"Thanks," said Ryuji. He waved as Yusuke nodded. "You guys too."

That hadn't been so bad. Ren reminded himself to thank Ryuji later.

It wasn't long before they reached the courtyard at the entrance to main gate of the temple. Makoto was prepared with factoids about the five-tiered pagoda, the giant straw sandals, and the temple proper.

They didn't recognize any Shujin students however and it was a little late to start exploring the temple interior.

"Shall we head to the Skytree?" he asked. "Ryuji will keep an eye out back there for us."

"Yes, I believe there's an special subway line near here," said Makoto. "Let's take a detour through the rest of the compound though... it would seem a shame not to see it since it's your first time."

They walked by the various statues and halls, stopping briefly to admire the stone bridge and the koi swimming beneath it. There were enough tourists that it wasn't especially peaceful, but it was a nice change of pace compared to the inundation of stimuli on Nakamise Street.

Perhaps it was peaceful _enough_ , pretty _enough_ to-

"I'm sorry to drag you out here like this," Makoto let go a sigh, her eyes pointed a few paces in front of her on the ground. "It _is_ a little silly to think we could just run into a student on any given day, even with the reports. We must have been really lucky those other times."

"Don't be sorry," said Ren. He smiled. "I told you, I'm enjoying it."

She looked up at him, offering a smile in return. "I'm glad for that."

_Would it be okay to hold her hand now?_

Just as he was starting to reach out his fingers, she looked away again and spoke. "I wish I could help this student though."

"You're doing the best you can. You don't have to save every student," he said as they continued walking along the main path back to the shops. "That's just something Kobayakawa forced on you."

She chuckled. "You're one to speak. Half of our Mementos requests are people you found, not from the Phan-Site. Like that doctor."

"She and I have a deal..." Ren scratched at the back of his neck. "I get meds from her and in return..."

Makoto probably wouldn't approve of his status as guinea pig...

"You would have helped her even without a deal." When he looked back at her, she was smiling up at him. Was that admiration?

It felt _really_ nice.

"Yeah," he ran his head through his hair and took a deep breath, lest he begin to stare. "Well, hopefully we'll find him, and if not, hopefully he can hold on until school starts again. We just don't have enough information to even begin asking people."

If it had been the school year, they could at least describe their uniforms. 'Distraught teenage boy' was less helpful.

Soon they arrived at the station and a quick stop later they were at the Skytree. Ren enjoyed the cool air as they walked inside.

"Let me get these," he said as they edged forward in the line for the ticket counter.

"Not this time," Makoto took a step in front of him. "They're rather pricey and I really doubt this is going to result in team business."

Ren stepped even with her as there was no more room to move forward. He folded his arms before his chest and leaned on one leg, tapping his foot with the other. "Is that the school's money you're using or your own?"

"It's mine," she almost sounded offended.

"Yeah that's ridiculous. You shouldn't have to spend your own money on school business."

"Neither should you."

He relaxed his stance and grinned. "Don't underestimate how much we earn ramming shadows in Mementos. Morgana's glove compartment is practically bursting by the time we leave."

Makoto opened her mouth, likely to protest.

He cut her off. "Don't worry about it."

She backed down. As they stepped up to the counter, he got out his wallet.

Makoto stood to the side, hand on her chin. "I wonder how many students have enough pocket money to visit here multiple times... both the lonely student and whoever saw him managed to."

"Yeah that's strange," he said after he finished his purchase. He handed her the brochure that came with the tickets.

They headed to the elevator. Makoto was clutching the brochure, opened to show the map. She read it over as the other passengers stepped in.

"Did the report say which floor they saw him on?" asked Ren.

Makoto shook her head. "I assume he visited all of them. I haven't been here before. I don't know what it's like up there."

"I have," Ren recalled tagging along with Ann on a modeling gig. "We should visit them all anyway... if anything, so you can see them."

When they arrived at the Tembo Deck, Ren let Makoto take the lead. They strolled around the circle, looking out over the city. As he had done on his previous visit, he tried to identify places he knew. Given her squinting and leaning, he suspected Makoto was doing the same.

As they proceeded, they also looked inward. Just like all the places they had been before, most people there were in groups. There were no teenagers wandering around by themselves.

It left them more time to enjoy the view. Ren was glad Makoto didn't limit herself out of student council obligations.

He took out his phone. "Hey Makoto, smile."

She turned to him, curious wide eyes staring up rather than a smile. "Eh?"

_Click._

He grinned. "Okay, now really smile."

_Click._

Ren looked at his phone. She had made a 'V' with her fingers and tried to force a smile, the tension around her eyes giving her away. He'd have to catch a candid later. How _did_ Ryuji get that one from their fireworks trip?

When he looked up, Makoto was holding her phone. On her screen was a picture of him, standing there looking at his phone.

"There," she smiled. "Now we're even."

If only he had caught that smile.

Ren continued to follow Makoto around the floor. Mostly through their first rotation, they arrived at the café. There, holding a cup of soft serve ice cream with wafers, was a familiar twin-tailed model.

"Ann..." Makoto murmured, catching the blonde's attention.

Ann pulled the plastic spoon out of her mouth and swallowed quickly. "Hi guys! What a surprise! If I'd known you were coming, I'd have invited you to my shoot!"

Was she speaking more rapidly than usual?

Ren managed to interject. "Ryuji and Yusuke were looking for you."

"Where are they? I've been waiting for them!" Ann's lower lip jutted out. "I told them to meet me by the place that sells ice cream with wafers."

"Uh, I think they are," said Makoto. She shifted her weight to one side, holding one arm in another and looked down. "The place on Nakamise Street..."

"What?" Ann looked straight at them. She blinked twice. Then she began to laugh. "Oh, right, haha, silly me, haha, sorry I was so hungry after my shoot."

Ann took out her phone. One swipe later and her eyebrows flew to her bangs.

"A lot of messages?" asked Ren.

"Haha... yeah." Ann's face fell and she sighed. She was absolutely still for a few moments and then suddenly picked up her soft serve and shoveled the rest of it into her mouth, one tiny plastic spoonful at a time. Grimacing, she held her forehead with her palm. "Ow."

"Are you alright?" asked Makoto.

"It was so good I had to," Ann was several questions ahead. She took the empty cup to its proper receptacle, still holding her forehead. When she returned, she explained. "I can't make Ryuji and Yusuke wait any longer."

"Tell them we said hi," Ren waved.

"I will," Ann turned towards the exit. She took a couple steps and then spun around. "Oh but let me take a picture of you two first."

Ann herded them over to a section of window, being particular about exactly where they stopped and what angles they were facing. Ren presumed she knew from her work where the light and skyline would be best. She took out her phone.

"Get a little closer," Ann motioned while holding up her phone. Ren and Makoto were standing next to each other already, with not much space between. He eased closer still. Ann kept motioning. "A little more. Ren, put your arm around her."

Ann was so bold.

Ren looked at Makoto.

"It's okay," her voice was small.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really."

He slid his arm behind her, unsure of where it should land. He raised and lowered his hand, looking to Ann for some clue. She offered none, instead just pressing her lips together and narrowing her eyes as if to say 'Get on with it.'

Ren's gripped Makoto's upper arm. That was safe, wasn't it?

"Great!" said Ann. "Now make peace symbols with your outer hands and smile."

They complied.

"Perfect!" Ann slipped her phone back into her pocket. "I'll send it to you later! Gotta catch up with Ryuji!"

With a wave she took off.

"Well that was... " Makoto started as she took a step away from Ren, his fingers slipping off her arm.

"Yeah..." Ren agreed with the sentiment.

"Well, I think we're done with this floor. Let's head up." Makoto pointed to the next elevator. There was a short line, despite it being a work day.

As they ascended, Ren realized the timing was about right to catch the sunset from the Tembo Galleria.

He once again let Makoto set the pace. She looked around across the floor for their target. Not finding him, she began the walk up the galleria.

At the highest floor, there were indeed more people by the westward windows, but also ample room for them to have an unobstructed view.

"Let's watch the sunset," Ren said, tilting his head in the intended direction.

"Good idea," Makoto smiled.

They found an open spot. As the minutes ticked by, more people gathered. Ren and Makoto naturally slid closer, allowing more people to see.

He brought his hand around her again, like their photo with Ann. He looked at her to see if it was okay.

She met his eyes and nodded.

The oranges and pinks of the sky grew deeper as the sun slipped down the horizon. The buildings below were cast in colorful rays, their windows reflecting the light to form new patterns still.

There was something relaxing about holding Makoto close to him, even with all of the people packed together around, even if he wasn't sure about her feelings towards him, even if his heart felt like it was going to beat out his chest... 

She was something secure and invigorating in the otherwise hectic and demanding life he led.

Did he really want to risk messing it up?

_No._

That security was false. It only existed because he was already pretending they were together. That thing with Takao only made it more confusing.

The sun disappeared into the horizon. The colors changed again, growing softer.

If he really wanted this to continue, he had to act.

A scant few minutes later, twilight blues started to dominate the sky and the lights from the city below became visible.

"Hey, Makoto..." he didn't need to raise his voice, they were already so close. "Want to go somewhere not for student council business?"


	3. Ueno

"An' then what did she say?" Ryuji was beyond throwing elbows at this point. His whole upper body tilted as he directed his ship to avoid the barrage of lasers. It was like he was a joystick and the game was playing him.

"She said she'd like that," Ren pressed the bridge of his glasses up.

"So you're finally datin'?" Ryuji's broad smile could be heard in his voice.

"I... " Ren took a deep breath. His shoulders slumped as he exhaled. "Don't know."

"Seriously? Come on!" Ryuji's already outdoor voice only got louder. He activated his dual lasers and began speed-tapping his controller. "She said she'd like to go out with you!" 

"She said she'd go somewhere with me not for student council business," Ren kept his ship back, tracking the enemies Ryuji missed. "I only realized afterwards that we never _said_ 'date.' What if she thinks it's something else? It's not like we never hangout."

"Dude I saw that picture Ann took," Ryuji finished his burst attack. "You had your arm wrapped around her!"

"That was Ann's idea," Ren said as their ships passed through a quiet zone in the level. "Though... she didn't seem to mind when I tried it while we were watching the sunset."

"Isn't that when you asked her out?" Ryuji turned his head briefly, not long enough for Ren to focus, but long enough for Ryuji to read his face.

"Yeah."

"It's a date." Ryuji's fingers sprung into action as enemies appeared again.

"I don't know. Makoto is-"

Ryuji interrupted with a drawn out guttural sound that was equal parts annoying and deafening. "For real? She's gonna dump your lonely ass before you even realize you're dating. I would."

Ren blinked.

Was that right?

Was Makoto expecting him to act more like a boyfriend already?

Usually she'd be the first to clarify things...

"Hey! Watch where you're-" Ryuji's voice and the sound of an 8-bit explosion brought Ren's focus back to the game. A pixelated yellow and orange circle on top of a long stalagmite engulfed his ship's trajectory.

A new ship flickered with invincibility.

"When I invite her... I'll ask," Ren slid his ship into formation. "Clearly this time."

"Good."

He tried to imagine what he'd say when he called.

Each scenario seemed painfully awkward, especially if she were to reject him. What would he make of the static on the line? Would he be able to tell what she was feeling?

"Though, maybe it would be better in person?" Ren pictured other scenarios. "So I can see her face... but then she'd be already trapped on the date. That wouldn't be-"

"Don't go talkin' yourself out of this on me," Ryuji's elbows were once again jutting to each side, as if that would make his starfighter go faster. "Aren't you Joker?"

"You said Makoto needed less Joker."

"Sure but not _no_ Joker." As the enemies crowded the screen, Ryuji leaned in close enough to the CRT that Ren was afraid he would fall out of his chair. He was pressing the buttons on his controller hard enough that the tips of his fingers were red. "Look, next time you see her, clear this up. I don't care if it ain't romantic."

* * *

"Ren!" Makoto jogged past the giant reflective sphere scuplture to greet him, one hand holding the strap of her shoulder bag, the other waving. "Thanks for joining me again."

_I want to spend time with you._

"I want see this through," he smiled. Makoto had messaged him the night before about a new petition to the student council regarding the distressed student. "Did they say which gallery?"

"No," Makoto shook her head. "All it said was the art museum in Ueno. It didn't even say which one."

Ren had been to the complex before. The Metropolitan Museum had several separated galleries. Then there was the western museum across the park. Whoever was writing these reports should have known better.

At least they narrowed it down to the art museums... not that he'd mind visiting the others with Makoto.

"Though, I suppose he could be wandering between them all," Makoto's hand found its way to her chin. "Maybe we should wait outside for him. If he's here, he'll have to come out eventually."

"We can talk a look at the sculptures," Ren suggested. If the report didn't say which museum, it was probably the Metropolitan. Staying where they were made sense.

Makoto nodded.

They began circling the courtyard, taking time to view each sculpture from several angles. Makoto was thorough. Inside they would have been too distracted trying to cover ground in search of their target. 

Traffic in and out of the galleries was slow, maybe one group every few minutes. Like with all of their other attempts, 'group' was the operative word. There were no people, let alone teenagers, by themselves.

Tokyo could be debilitatingly isolating, surrounded by so many people but inherently alone... but those were day-to-day comings and goings. The places their target frequented brought people together.

_Together..._

He smiled to himself as he watched his companion peek around the sculpture they were standing at. It was nice being together.

Ren considered asking her about their date, but figured he could leave it until the end. They had work to do. There was no point in making things awkward so early.

"I feel a little guilty," Makoto remarked as they walked to the next piece. "We're enjoying the art, but only the free things."

"I'm sure the artists appreciate being seen," Ren looked over to her. She really needn't worry so much. "Anyway, we're on a stakeout."

"Yes, I suppose the art is secondary," Makoto brought her hands together behind her but continued walking forward. A few steps later, she began speaking again. "Ren... About last-"

A roar of thunder interrupted her.

They both looked up to be met by a sudden deluge.

Ren grabbed Makoto by the arm and headed for the closest shelter: the structure housing the elevator down into the exhibits. They ran for it, thick heavy drops pelting them on the way.

Once under the protection of a roof, he took stock. He had been lucky enough that his jeans were mildly damp but thankfully not soaked. It seemed his white button up had taken the brunt of their quick run through the storm.

Makoto's flowy white shirt was similarly waterlogged. It clung to her in patches, nearly see-through, showing more of her svelte form than he was probably meant to see.

While her Queen gear was form-fitting, there was something different when thick leathers were replaced with light cloth. A hint of color from her skin came through the drenched fabric where it hugged her arms, like the shirt almost wasn't there.

Ren swallowed and broke the lock his eyes had on her.

Hopefully she didn't notice.

He shed his outer shirt, draping it over his arm. The black tee under it was a little damp, especially in the front where it had been exposed. The way it stuck to him wasn't pleasant, but manageable enough.

When he turned back to Makoto, she was coiling her belt into a small circle and stowing it in her bag. Her long white shirt was also draped over her forearm. Underneath was a tight little strapless top. The black fabric contrasted with her fair skin.

His eyes followed her clavicle from her neck, over to her shoulder and then down her arms. It was all bare.

He hadn't realized that under that oversized tunic the whole time was-

_Don't say anything. Don't say anything. Don't say anything. Don't **think** anything._

_Eyes up Amamiya._

A droplet pooling at the edge of Makoto's bangs chose that moment to fall, running along her jaw, tumbling from her chin, and trickling down her chest, straight for-

_Distraction. Now._

"We should check out an exhibit." Did his voice sound higher than normal? "At least until the rain lets up."

Makoto said nothing at first. Her face was pointed forward, directly at him, but not lifting her eyes to meet his.

"Makoto?" he prompted.

"Oh! Yes... we should," Makoto lifted her chin, finally engaging with him. Color bloomed on her cheeks. "S-sorry. I spaced out for a moment there..."

Still so easily embarrassed...

He wondered what it was this time.

Probably something cute.

"It's fine," Ren tried not to smile too much, lest she feel even more uncomfortable.

They took the elevator down, not wanting to step through the downpour again to get to the stairs. The closest gallery was hosting a limited exhibition. This time Makoto didn't argue over the tickets. They both just wanted to get inside.

The attendant was kind enough to take their outer shirts, hanging them so they could dry.

Ren felt the full force of the air conditioning as they walked inside. It was a welcome change from to the sticky heat of the outdoors.

It may have been too much for Makoto though. She drew her shoulders in and crossed her arms in front of her. If only he had something to give her.

"We can leave... if it's too cold," he kept his voice low. It seemed appropriate when visiting a museum.

"N-no, it's fine," Makoto was holding herself so tight that her arms jittered. "I'll get used to it soon."

"Are you sure? We can go to the gift shop, pick something up, and come back."

"Let me just get out of the way of the vent," she took a few more steps in. "I'll be fine."

She didn't seem fine. It was tempting to wrap an arm around her shoulders, share some body heat.

That would be way over the line however.

"Well... you can uh... steal some body heat," he offered his hand. The other was rubbing the back of his neck. "If you want."

Makoto looked at his outstretched arm and then across the gallery, zeroing in on the people.

"Th-thanks." She didn't take his hand.

Of course. She didn't want to burden the other patrons. They were here to see art, not two teenagers being-

"Wow," Makoto said as she stepped into a room filled with forest and fantasy creatures carved from wood.

Slim, delicately-curved animals in white, with hints of pink or beige at their ears and mouths, manifested a majestic presence upon pedestals in the gallery.

A fawn stepped one slender leg forward and jutted out its graceful neck.

A ram turned its head, long horns curling back from it.

A qilin stood proudly, its tail and mane reaching upwards as if ablaze.

They quietly took in each one.

Ren let Makoto set their pace. He should have known she would be one to read every placard in full.

While they were examining the delicate leaf-life patterns on the back of a great-antlered deer, he felt a pair of arms wrap around one of his own. When he looked down, her eyes were wide, questioning. Her shoulders briefly trembled in a small shiver.

So she was still cold.

He nodded to tell her it was still okay.

As much as he wanted to pull her even closer, he kept himself in check. This had to be something she was comfortable with.

The gallery had thinned out and they _had_ been standing rather close. Perhaps she thought there wasn't much to notice. He couldn't push it though.

She stayed attached as they walked to the next piece: a phoenix with its wings spread and long tail plumes curling down behind it. The relief captured the barbs and shafts of the feathers, delicate and textured.

He felt a weight against his shoulder. Makoto was leaning her head on him.

They stared at the sculpture, saying nothing.

"Ren..." she released his arm, taking a small step back. Her head slowly turned away as she spoke. "About last time... when you suggested we go somewhere not on student council business..."

"Yeah..." That unsettling throb in his chest came back. He forced himself to breathe slowly.

"D-did you mean that like broadening our horizons..." she still wasn't looking at him. Somehow that made it easier. "Or as a date?"

The question that kept him up since she messaged him last night.

The question he was going to ask, supposed to ask.

How was he still so unprepared?

_Don't ruin this._

"It can be what you want it to be," he forced out. They could still be friends. "But I wanted it to be a date."

She whipped her head around to face him, her lower lip hanging not far from its mate.

"Your choice," he said. "I'll respect it."

"I... also... wanted it to be date," her stunned expression gave way to a bashful smile.

Ren let out the breath he was holding as he found himself grinning uncontrollably.

Makoto brought a balled hand over her chest. "Thank goodness. I've been worrying about that all day."

"Me too." He reached out to her again.

She took his hand, lacing her fingers with his.

They looked down at their joined hands, both smiling.

"This is all your fault you rain demon!" A booming voice interrupted their reverie.

"Ryuji." They both whispered simultaneously.

Walking hand-in-hand, they returned to the front, finding a rain-speckled Ryuji and Yusuke.

"Whoa Makoto, I like the new look!" Ryuji gave her the once over, his eyes lingering on the couple's linked hands.

"Uh," Makoto tucked her hair behind her ear with her free hand. "I-I have a shirt drying at the front desk."

Ren met Ryuji with scowl when the blonde finally thought to look up.

Ryuji smirked. His eyes shifted briefly to Makoto and then returned to Ren, one brow raising.

The question was clear.

Despite his annoyance at Ryuji's wandering eyes, Ren couldn't stop his smile. He confirmed with a single nod.

Ryuji's teeth shined as he also broke into a wide smile.

"So I take it you're still lookin' for that student," he returned to Makoto. Yusuke in the meantime had planted himself in front of the nearest piece, sketchpad out.

"Yes... but without much luck," her eyes fell. "We're not even sure which museum we should be checking, but then it started to rain..."

"There's _more_ art museums?" Ryuji's hands dove into his pockets. "I thought Yusuke and I were almost done."

"There's a western one across the park," she explained.

"Well, I'll message you if we see anyone," said Ryuji. "Don't let us hold you two up though. We're gonna be a while."

"Okay," said Makoto. "Have fun."

They waved as they parted ways, both pairs heading to different parts of the exhibit.

The rest of the pieces were as mesmerizing as the first ones they had seen. Though, Ren didn't find them quite as mesmerizing as the woman standing next to him. Now he could sneak looks at her without guilt and hide held hands between them as a special secret instead of a point of confusion.

By the time they finished the exhibit, their shirts were dry and the rain had let up.

After they finished putting back on their outer layers, they walked back to the courtyard between galleries.

"It's surprising that we keep running into Yusuke," said Makoto. Their joined hands swung between them as they walked. "Ever since the planetarium."

"I'm more surprised to see Ryuji at an art museum," Ren chuckled.

_Wait._

"He's really supportive of everyone, isn't he?" said Makoto. She turned to him. "I was just thinking... What if Yusuke is the lonely student?"

_Ryuji was surprised there were more art museums._

"Maybe someone mistook him for a Shujin student since he hangs out with us," Makoto continued. "He does wander off a lot..."

_And that mixup with Ann in Asakusa..._

"What do you think? Do you think maybe Yusuke has been our target all along?" she giggled.

"No." Ren stopped in his tracks.

Makoto stopped too, her eyes wide and brows raised.

"I think..." The skin between Ren's eyebrows puckered as he thought hard. In retrospect, it was all so obvious. "I think I'm the lonely student."

"Eh?" Makoto waited for him to look at her. "You've been going to all of these places alone?"

"I haven't," Ren shook his head and exhaled. "But I think Ryuji's been the one writing to the student council... with me in mind."

"Why would he do that?" Makoto shifted her weight to one leg and held her left forearm in her right hand.

"Because he knew you'd asked me to help you search," Ren ran his hand through his hair as he brought his gaze down towards the ground. "He's known I liked you for a while now."

He looked up to catch Makoto's gaze shifting away.

"Oh." Her face became bright red. "He, uh... really shouldn't be using the student council like that."

She turned back to him, a small smile tugging at her cheeks.

"I guess I'll let this one slide," she closed her eyes and breathed out. "I'm glad it wasn't more serious... though, please confirm it with him, okay? Just in case..."

"I will," he said as he stretched out his hand to her again. He leaned forward, tucking his other arm in front of his waist, like a shallow western bow. He grinned. "So now that that's wrapped up, will you accompany me on walk? Not on student council business."

"Of course," she laid her hand in his. Her smile seemed so warm and inviting. "Where shall we go?"

"Anywhere. Everywhere, I hope," he smiled through lidded eyes as their fingers intertwined.

He was met with a raised eyebrow.

Perhaps that was too much.

He shrugged and relaxed, his expression becoming more open. "But first, since we're here, how about the zoo?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Anniversary Persona 5!
> 
> Check out Tsuchiya Yoshimasa's work. It's incredible. The entire Dialogue with Trees (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum's 90th Anniversary Exhibition) just looks fantastic.
> 
> I wrote this all in one file, originally envisioning a light one-shot but realizing it was turning out much longer. I was tempted to do all the unused hangout spots, but I didn't want it to drag. I figured some of the missing ones would feel redundant since they already go shopping and visit a temple in this fic.
> 
> Maybe I'll do that one-shot when I take them to the zoo. (Ueno zoo has pandas~) Or should that be a bonus chapter?
> 
> Thank you for reading! An additional thanks to those who left kudos and/or comments! :)
> 
> \- Pix ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/ShyPixieRed) | [Fics on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieRed/works))


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